Combined step-ladder and ironing-board



' (No Model.)

C. M. COCHRAN. GOMBINDDISTDP LADDER A.AND IRONING BOARD.

N0.548,96o. Patented 0ct.29,1895.

I llllll die Qmm Y UNITED STATES t PATENT Enron.

CASzSlUS MEROILIIS COCHRAN, OF MARION, INDIANA.l

COMBINED STEP-LADDER AND IRONING-BOARDl SPECIFICATION forming part ofsLetters atent No. 548,960, dated October 29, 1895.

Application filed February 28, 1895.' .Serial No. 5401026 (ND model) To all whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that, I CAssrUs MERcILUs COCHRAN, a citizen ofthe United States of America, residing at Marion, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Step-Ladder and Ironing-Board;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others,y skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referp a step-ladder, and'Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts in position to present an ironing-board.

AA designate a pair of legs or supports' which are each preferably made up of two strips or bars a and a to provide lightness, and between the legs or supports are secured steps or rungs A. The upper ends of the strips a and a', which make up thelegs or supports A, are connected to each other by a cross-` ubar a2, the ends of which project beyond the legs or supports. Between the strips a and a at a suitable distance below their upper endsY are secured blocks a3, which, in connection with the upper step, serve as bearings for a cross-bar A2, to which is pivoted a swinging support hereinafter described. The strips or bars a are provided with blocks or catches a4 and a5, as shown.

B B designate two parallel strips which are connected to each other near one end by a crosspiece b and at the other end by a crosspiece or board h', the projecting edge of the board h being supported by triangular blocks b2, which also provide bearings for the projecting ends of the cross-bar a2 in pivotally connecting the parts to each other. The strips B B are provided on their inner edges with longitudinal grooves h3, and on their inner sides consisting of the side pieces d, to the outer ends of which are secured a transverse board D', the inner ends of the side pieces being pivotally connected to the projecting ends of the cross-bar A2, hereinbefore referred to.

To the inner side of the strips B are pivoted a number of bars e, which are adapted to be swung outward to serve as clothes-racks when the device is used as an ironing-board.

B2 designates a board which is adapted to be slid between the strips' B to. complete the ironing-board proper, and this board B2 is provided on its edges with tongues h6, which it the grooves b3.

In constructing the device the links O and O should be of such a length that the platform or support D can be swung over the upper end of the device,.so that the parts can be arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, to form astepladder, the cross-bar c being in engagement with the blocks or catches a4, and when swung back over the end of the device and the crossbar c placed in engagement with the blocks or catches a5 the parts will then be in position topresent an ironing board or table, the platform or frame D acting as su pporting-legs.

It Will be understood that when the device is used as a step-ladder the board B2 is removed to lighten the structure, and is readily slid into place when the device is to be used as an ironing-board. It will also be understood that the weight of the parts serves to hold the cross-bar c in engagement with the blocks or catches a4 and a5. y

l am aware that prior to myinvention it `has been proposed to combine in one article of furniture a step-ladderand ironing-board, and therefore do not claim such combination broadly; but

IOO

v by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, of two sets of legs pivotally connected to each other, one of the sets of legs carrying steps; bars O and d pivotally connected to the legs, and to each other by links C', the bars C being connected by a cross-bar c and the bars CZ by a board D', together with blocks or catches carried by one set of legs, the parts being organized substantially as shown, whereby they may be adj usted to different positions to provide either a stepladder or ironing-board.

2. The combination, of the strips B B connected to each other so as to be maintained parallel for the purpose of receiving a removable board, blocks b2 and b4 secured to the stripsB B; legs A A pivotally attached to the blocks b2 and provided with catches a4 and a5, bars d d pivetally connected to the legs A A; together with links C C pivoted to the blocks b4, said links having a cross-bar for engagement with the catches; and links C pivotally connected to the bars d and to the links C C, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CASSIUS MERCILUS 'GOOI-IRAN. Witnesses:

W. S. HALL, ADDISON M. BALDWIN. 

